THE ANTELOPE 233 



The range of the antelope was almost as extended as 

 that of the bison, or buffalo, on the great plains west of 

 the Mississippi Valley, extending to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains ; but the bison, as we have observed, extended 

 into many of the Eastern States, while the antelope 

 was never found east of the Mississippi. Grinnell says 

 the antelope was formerly found all over the plains 

 and among the mountains of the West, wherever the 

 country was adapted to it, from latitude 53° N., south 

 into INIexico, and from about the meridian of 95° west 

 longitude to the Pacific Ocean. All through the great 

 region indicated it was once abundant, and was equally 

 at home on the flat prairies of the Platte River bottom, 

 the broken Bad Lands of Dakota and Montana, or 

 among the rugged foot-hills, sage-brush plateaus, and 

 bald mountain-slopes of the main range. 



Being distinctly an inhabitant of the open plains, the 

 antelope can be seen at a great distance, especially when 

 standing against the sky, as he is sure to be whenever 

 he sees an enemy. Although an extremely timid ani- 

 mal, he has one fatal defect of character — his curiosity. 

 In the early days of his acquaintance with sportsmen 

 this often brought him within range of the gun. 



With the settling of the valleys and the coming of the 

 cattlemen to the plains there was a great increase in 

 the number of hunters, and it is not to be wondered at 

 that the bands of antelopes were sadly diminished and 

 that in many places they have entirely disappeared. 

 The antelopes held their own very well on the plains so 

 long as there were buffaloes, since the bulTalocs were 

 much easier to kill and the robes were valuable. They 

 were usually seen grazing in the vicinity of and among 



